Crimson Dawn (you-create-it)

“Whoa what's wrong with her?” Spike asked when Dawn stormed into the grand library and up to her room.

“We just got back from a mission...Bright Armor, who's a cousin, was turned into a Ghoul...” Dusk explained sadly. Spike looked up after her as Selina went up to comfort her.

“She must be devastated...” he said. Dusk nodded and sighed as the rest of the team entered with sullen looks on their faces.

“Come on Love, tell me what you're planning.” Selina said, startling Dawn as she bathed. She quickly relaxed and allowed the other Mare to join her under the waterfall-shower.

“First I'm going to go to Canterlot and check on our Cousin. Then I am going to make sure Bright's Daughter is taken care of. Then I'm going to go find a Ghoul Den and I'm going to vent.” Dawn explained with anger in her voice.

“I'm coming with you then.” Selina stated.

“Only as far as helping his daughter. You know how hard it is to control myself when I vent...I don't want to accidentally hurt you again.” Dawn said, lightly tracing a jagged scar on Selina's abdomen.

“Compromise, I'll still go with you. I'll just be your backup.” Selina suggested.

“Deal...I love you.” Dawn said. Selina answered with a kiss.

“She'd be just getting out of school now...tell her to come to me, I'll take her in.” Bright Armor said. The two Mares were at the Canterlot Hospital to visit the guards, all of which were recovering but alive.

“Right, expect her soon.” Dawn said as she left. She didn't mean to sound cold.

“Excuse her tone, she didn't mean it. She needs to vent on some Enemies, but she'll handle your niece with care. She isn't heartless.” Selina said as she too left. Bright nodded and closed his eyes to rest.

“Is that a...fox?” Gold Armor heard as she left the school. She looked and saw two ponies coming close, a fox perched on the closer's head.

“Golden Armor?” Dawn asked her. Confused, she nodded. “Come with us Honey, we need to talk to you.” she continued. Dawn and Golden sat on a park bench while Selina made sure nopony got close.

“What's going on?” Golden asked.

“I absolutely hate giving bad news- especially of this nature- but it's my job right now. Your Father, he's been missing for a few days...right?” Dawn asked. Golden nodded, afraid of what was coming.

“My team and I recently found a group of Ghouls and a Lich- you know what they are right?” Dawn began.

“Yes...my Father hunted them...he...did they-?” Golden started.

“We killed a pack of Ghouls that were recently turned...one of them survived our attacks...his brain regained control for a short time...it was your Father...I promised him I'd make sure you're taken care of...then he lost control again...” Dawn explained, Golden could hear the tears trying to come out as the Mare's voice cracked. Golden understood exactly what had happened.

Dawn hugged the Filly close and cried with her as she sobbed into her coat.

“My...My uncle was with him...was...was he?” Golden managed to get out amidst her sobbing.

“He is alive and well, recovering at the hospital...he will take you in when he is recovered.” Dawn said. Golden's sobs died down for the most part, but she simply nodded.

“I...I can't let this happen to any other l-little colts and Fillies...I'm transferring to the combat academy...” she said with determination.

“How old are you?” Dawn asked.

“S-sixteen.” she replied.

“Talk to your uncle about Vampirism then...the Transfer would take weeks though...tell Princess Celestia that Dawn sent you though...that'll get you in.” Dawn said, putting a hoof under her chin.

“Thank you...but...why are you helping?” Golden asked.

“Aside from the promise I made your father, I'm just like that. If a pony deserves help then I'll go out of my way to give it.” Dawn said. “Now go on over to the Hospital, your uncle wants to talk to you.” she continued. Golden smiled, gave Dawn a quick hug and quickly walked off.

“You know...you'd make an amazing mother.” Selina said.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Dawn asked in a seductive tone, raising a single eyebrow. Selina just laughed and kissed her. “Thanks...I needed that...but now we need to go find a Ghoul Den...Bright told me of one his team was about to investigate before the Night Guard interrupted their patrol...” Dawn said, getting serious again.

“What the fuck is this?!” Dawn exclaimed softly. She and Selina were looking over the Den they found. What they saw infuriated Dawn. There were live ponies working with the Ghouls. There weren't any other undead besides the Ghouls.

“Celestia was right...it is mortals trying to start the war back up...” Selina said.

“I'm going in...” Dawn growled as she gathered her strength. The rocks around them began to float a few feet above the ground before she launched into the air. She landed right in the center, smashing the ruined structure the living ponies were using as a base. The living ponies all gathered on the other side as the undead charged at her. This didn't phase her. Her scythe was held telepathically in a raging black aura as pure concentrated necromancy swirled around it. The second a ghoul entered a somehow pre-determined radius the blade turned them into dust with a ferocious slash.

A hail of arrows began falling, but the scythe simply batted each and every one of them away with speed faster than the eye could follow. The twenty ponies shooting them retaliated by enhancing their volleys with magic. It didn't do anything to help. The Ghouls were nothing but dust now. She turned her hellish gaze to the ponies, but cocked her head in confusion as one of them was slitting the last's throat.

Dawn shrugged and prepared to attack, the betrayer turned to her and quickly put up two odd fans in defense. The scythe bounced off, but sent the pony flying backwards. She quickly got to her hooves though and attempted to put the fans up in surrender, but Dawn didn't notice and she was forced to defend herself. After a full minute of this the Mare finally managed to yell out “WAIT!”.

“Why?” Dawn simply asked, staying her blade for the moment.

“I'm a Friend!” the Mare called between pants. Dawn looked at her for a moment before lowering the scythe. The Mare sighed in relief and dropped to the ground an well as dropped her battle fans. Dawn got a closer look at them. She could tell they were made of Shadow Crystal. Only she and Twilight knew how to do that.

“I recognize these...they were a birthday present to the Daughter of the Changeling Queen on her tenth birthday.” Dawn said, looking up as the Mare in front of her changed. The Mare now looked like a smaller version of Chrysalis, but with a pure white mane/tail and red Hooves.

“My name is Crystal Mirage.” she said as she got to her hooves. Suddenly Selina slid down the large crater they were in, in which Dawn had created, and smiled at Crystal.

“So good to see a friendly face. What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I was keeping tabs on this Den, trying to find out who is leading them. They call themselves 'Cult of the Damned' and they're made up of all the races...they got their hooves on necromancy and somehow were able to tame the Undead they created...what are you doing here?” Crystal explained.

“Venting.” Dawn replied.

“Venting?” Crystal asked.

“When I'm in a bad mood I find raider bases or Ghoul dens and Vent on them so I don't vent on my friends.” Dawn explained.

“Who are you?” Crystal asked.

“Dawn Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna's Daughter. This is Selina, my Marefriend.” Dawn replied.

“Oh, that explains the power...that was amazing...it took everything I had to defend against your attacks. Oh damn.” Crystal said, swearing as she noticed a crack going through one of the fans.

“Oh sorry, here.” Dawn said, repairing the weapon with a burst of Necromancy.

“I've never seen a Battle Fan user, the combat style is extremely difficult to use. But you were able to defend against my attacks for a full minute. The only ones besides my parents that can do that are Selina and my sister.” Dawn commented.

“I've been training for eight years.” Crystal said.

“Ah. Well, I'm good now...kinda tired...Gonna head back home, where are you going to go now?” Dawn asked.

“well now that this mission is over I guess I should go talk to Twilight Sparkle, she's my superior while I'm in Equestria.” Crystal replied.

“Need a lift? Mom'll be in Ponyville about now.” Dawn offered.

“Uh...sure...” Crystal replied. There was a flash of light and suddenly they were standing in the Library.

“That one took longer than the last, did you go to a Ghoul Den instead of a Bandit Camp again?” Twilight asked, standing right next to them.

“Yeah, but it was both...” Dawn started and explained everything.

“That's not good. Spike?” Twilight called.

“Already sent.” Spike said, meaning a report to Celestia.

“Thanks. Well Crystal. I have nothing for you to do. Your Mother will be here in two days so there's no use going back or sending a letter to ask her what to do, for now you can stay here. Dawn, Selina, you missed Dinner so if you're hungry you're on your own.” Twilight explained.

“Alright, I'll just grab some Sparkle Fruits. Is it alright if I visit Eland with Selina tomorrow?” Dawn asked.

“of course, all you need is to ask them first. Kitsune got back here an hour before you did, I'm glad you thought to send her back before fighting again. Spike taught her the spell to send letters by the way, you can set up connections to anypony now.” Twilight explained.

“That fox is so damn smart and I love her for it.” Dawn said with a grin.

“Well It's been a long day of recruiting so I'm exhausted, you get rest too.” Twilight said. Dawn nodded and they went to their rooms.

“Good to see you again Dawn, you two need to visit more.” Elana said as she let Selina and Dawn in the next morning.

“That the Girls?” Stone Wall, Selina's Father, called.

“Hiya Daddy!” Dawn called back, earning a laugh from the two mares in the room.

“Why do you always call me that?” Stone asked with a smile as he entered the room.

“Because you're practically my step-dad and I don't have a birth dad so you're next in the line up.” Dawn explained with a grin.

“True enough, what brings you here?” he asked.

“Oh just a visit, I needed some time away from the Library.” Dawn replied, Selina was talking with Elana on the other side of the room.

“What happened this time?” Stone asked.

“Eh...nothing good. We found some valuable intel though when I went to Vent last night, and the Daughter of the Changeling Queen.” Dawn replied.

“You'll have to tell the story sometime then.” he said.

“So Dawn, wanna see what I've got for you now?” Elana asked.

“Hell yes.” Dawn replied. Elana had gone from assassin to blacksmith pretty much. She made weapons and armor for the Dawn Guard. Dawn herself was her best customer.

“You love you Scythe, I love it too. But you can't exactly throw it and use it to defend yourself very easily. so. I made these.” Elana said, pulling out what looked like the Gauntlets Selina's blades are housed in.

“You can use them manually or activate them with a touch of magic.” she started, putting them on as she walked outside and took aim at some targets. The gauntlets were shrouded in a bit of black shadow as Elana's necromancy kicked in and suddenly a large metal spike, almost like a stake, was launched. It blew the target to pieces.

“it absorbs Necromancy and automatically reloads. You just pull the loader out like this.” Elana started again, using her teeth to pull a small metal lever of sorts out a bit. “and pull the trigger manually.” she continued, clacking her hoof against the side and firing the contraption. “Or just shoot it with necromancy.” she finished, taking them off and tossing them to Dawn.

“the best part is you can absorb the Stakes, which are Shadow Steel, to get most of the power back if you need a little boost.” Elana said.

“and This is one of the reason I love visiting you.” Dawn said, bumping hooves with the Mare.

“Lunch is ready.” Stone called.

“I love Dad's cooking!” Dawn exclaimed and bolted inside.

“Where's that cute little fox of hers?” Elana asked Selina.

“Kitsune is working on perfecting the communication spell with Spike.” Selina answered.

“Shame. I had a whole setup made for her. I'll just send it with you when you go back.” Elana said. Selina grinned.